When launched in 1765, the HMS Victory was the ultimate
warship design of the Georgian era, and she now receives the
classic Haynes manual treatment.
The HMS Victory was Admiral Lord Nelson's flagship at the
Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 and has since become inextricably
linked to the memory of Britain's greatest naval hero, who
was killed on deck by a French sniper at the height of the
battle.
Now the world's oldest commissioned warship, the Victory used
to sail with a crew of 850 men and the firepower of 104
guns.
Born into the pre-industrial age, the ship was an organic
structure, wholly reliant on the sweat and toil of her crew
and the wind in her sails to bring her to life.
Built almost entirely of wood and other natural materials, it
took timber from some 6,000 oak and elm trees alone to build
her hull.
The Victory was planned and built in the 18th century with an
intended life expectancy of no more than 18 years, so the
fact that she survives today - almost 250 years later - is
remarkable.
With the aid of specially commissioned photographs and an
authoritative narrative, the reader is taken below decks to
discover the innermost workings of the warship. There are
chapters on how to sail an 18th century man-of-war, gunnery
and tactics, and the £16m conservation programme that will
ensure she continues to be a top visitor attraction well into
the 21st century.
Designed by Sir Thomas Slade, the Victory's lines were
heavily influenced by the more scientific approach of French
warship design, which Slade surveyed and used to good
effect.
The author Peter Goodwin was an advisor on the Russell Crowe
film Master and Commander, one of the most
accurate depictions of the Georgian Navy that has appeared in
popular film.
He is also responsible for bringing new insights into nearly
150 years of naval history, by discovering the true location
where Nelson died, below decks in the Victory.
Goodwin used the original ship's drawings, contemporary
letters and a famous painting by Arthur Devis called
The Death of Nelson to analyse the location of
his death, and disprove the long established view.
A memorial stone (quarried from near Cape Trafalgar) is now
located where Nelson died on 21 October 1805, it bears the
logo of the Nelson Society, and is mounted upon original
Victory oak timber. This exact location is 25 feet further
forward on the orlop than originally believed.
The Haynes
HMS Victory Manual is published with the full
co-operation of the Royal Navy.
About the Author
Peter Goodwin, MPhil, IEng, MIMarEST, followed a career as a
marine engineer in the Royal Navy in both surface ships and
nuclear submarines. After leaving the Navy he worked as a
design engineer before being appointed the first Keeper and
Curator of HMS Victoryin 1991.
His interest in 18th century ship construction began in
childhood, since when he has written widely on the subject
and is now generally acknowledged as a leading authority on
the sailing man-of-war. As a private historical consultant he
most notably worked as advisor for the 20th Century Fox film,
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World,
the TV adaptations of Hornblower, and the BBC's
Persuasion. He has also worked as a topman in
various square-rigged ships including the replica of Captain
Cook's Endeavour. Peter lives in Southsea,
Hampshire.
distributed by | This press release was issued by Haynes Publishing Group plc and was initially posted at http://www.haynes.co.uk/Press/Releases_HTML/120402_HMSVictory_haynes_PR.htm . It was distributed, unedited and unaltered, by noodls on 2012-04-02 18:21:23 PM. The issuer is solely responsible for the accuracy of the information contained therein. |